It is now 2011 and this was the New Year’s episode of the Master Key Coaching Teleseminars. We discussed Week Twenty — “The Spirit of Things” — from The Master Key System and we even went a little long.

Week Twenty is an important week. Of course, they’re all important weeks, but this one highlights Haanel’s thought processes and further brings our thoughts into the process of The Master Key System.

You’ll see as we go along. So, let’s begin.

Going to 11?

On one of our recent calls, I quipped about going to “11” in 2011. Yes, I got it from the movie Spinal Tap.

I liked it so much, though, that I incorporated it into a cool ad and a cool image you can use as your desktop wallpaper. I hope that it serves to remind you to always — every day — give it your all and then go one step further.

Take it to 11 in 2011!

To help you get to and stay at 11, I am offering an awesome deal on books. Please check it out!

Now, let’s really get into Week Twenty of The Master Key System …

The Letter of Transmittal

This week’s Letter of Transmittal is very important and significant. Please keep in mind that all the prior weeks lead to this week and the few remaining weeks.

It is quite a process.

The awesome thing about the LoT this week is that it showcases Haanel’s thought process in regards to this “mind stuff.”

The destruction of form must also be a result of the thinking process.

Fictitious representations of form are the result of the creative power of thought, as in Hypnotism.

Apparent representations of form are the result of the creative power of thought, as in Spiritualism.

Invention, organization, and constructive work of all kinds are the result of the creative power of thought, as in concentration.

When the creative power of thought is manifested for the benefit of humanity, we call the result good.

When the creative power of thought is manifested in a destructive or evil manner, we call the result evil. This indicates the origin of both good and evil; they are simply words which have been coined in order to indicate the nature of the result of the thinking or creative process.

This is Haanel’s philosophy in a nutshell — from God to man to the nature of good and evil to the creative power of thought.

There are many interesting points to highlight.

First, as we’ve discussed on many prior occasions, it isn’t necessary that you believe in God. It is about the “whole thing” — the world and universe in which we live. Based on that, we know that the nature of this “thing” is creative. Whether it be moons and stars or grass and trees or movies or buildings, it’s about creation.

How do we create? How does “it” create?

By thinking — by the creative power of thought.

If those thoughts destroy — if the results are bad — then we call that evil.

If the thoughts create — if the results are good — then we call that good.

Thus, good and evil are known by their results. Nothing more nor less.

Thinking alone won’t get for us that which we want. We must take action. We must work. Only then will we become since we’ll be known by the fruits of our labors.

A genius is only known as a genius because of his works. Whether he writes or composes or invents, we only know him by his deeds.

Now, whether he is a “good genius” or a “bad genius” is also known only by his results.

We’re still waiting to laud the person who will cure cancer. In the meantime, we laud the great people in history who helped to build the world as we know it: Tesla, Einstein, Ford … The list is long and stretches into the annals of history. We know them by their deeds, though.

What we see here and what we’ll see in the body of Week Twenty is that as we work in the “spirit of things,” we shall bring that genius from within ourselves and let our lights shine in the world.

Recognize!

The inscription “Know thyself,” as written over the entrance of the Temple Delhi, 600 B.C., does not apply to the Greeks alone, but is a command to every man and every woman of every age. It is written over the door of each living temple, not as a decoration, but is the passport into the city beautiful. Every door that swings ajar from ignorance to wealth, from lack to plenty, from death to life, has done so because the Master of the House has found the Master-Key.

Haanel reiterates that idea in point #2.

2. You may have all the wealth in Christendom, but unless you recognize it and make use of it, it will have no value; so with your spiritual wealth: Unless you recognize it and use it, it will have no value. The one and only condition of spiritual power is use or recognition.

We must recognize within ourselves the wealth, the power, the talent, the ability that we have in our possession. That is the prerequisite for actually using that power!

Haanel expands on this in point #3.

3. All great things come through recognition. The scepter of power is consciousness and thought is its messenger, and this messenger is constantly molding the realities of the invisible world into the conditions and environments of your objective world.

When we’re working on something, we only understand when we recognize the connections, when things become clear.

This recognition only comes through us via work: study, concentration, persistence.

4. Thinking is the true business of life. Power is the result. You are at all times dealing with the magical power of thought and consciousness. What results can you expect so long as you remain oblivious to the power which has been placed within your control?

Let’s answer Haanel’s questions there. What can one expect to get if he or she doesn’t come to a recognition of the power within themselves?

The answer is that one can expect nothing.

Thus, we must think. Thus, we must work with out thoughts and come to recognize the world around us in such a way that we can make an impact — use our talents for the good.

5. So long as you do this you limit yourself to superficial conditions and make of yourself a beast of burden for those who think; those who recognize their power; those who know that unless we are willing to think we shall have to work, and the less we think the more we shall have to work, and the less we shall get for our work.

As Haanel wrote, thinking is the true business of life. As we think and plan and take action, we cease to become the “beast of burden” for those who would do the thinking.

Please keep in mind that when Haanel writes “work” here, he is not implying that if we think we will be doing no work. Rather, the work to which he refers here is the mindless work that many do simply to earn a paycheck — to get by and merely survive.

Haanel implores us to go beyond that. We must think for ourselves. We must come to recognize the power we each have in our possession that will enable us to impress the world for the good.

You probably know that old adage, “One man’s junk is another man’s treasure.” As a matter of fact, you have probably seen or heard about it in operation. Perhaps you’ve seen the television show where auction people appraise what appears to be junk. They startle the owners of the junk by informing them that in truth, the “junk” they possess is a valuable antique.

Closer to home, you’ve probably seen this adage in operation. How many times have you uttered “I thought of that” or “I could do that better” when you see a person making money with a product or service. In operation, the adage becomes “One man’s junk is another man’s fortune!”

Within you is untapped power. There is “junk” awaiting to be polished so that its true value can be ascertained. Your fortune is your mind! As you wait for things to happen for you, some one else is making things happen for them self. Why cannot you do the same?

The answer is simple: There is no reason why you cannot take advantage of your ideas. You must take action. To take action, you have to know what is in your inventory. This week, you will concentrate on what you have. From that point you can spring into action and turn your “junk” into your fortune.

Think about that.

You’re more powerful than you think. You have more to offer than you think.

Take the time to recognize and make use of it all.

Inspiration

Let’s look at a few other points from this week.

8. When you begin to perceive that the essence of the Universal is within yourself—is you—you begin to do things; you begin to feel your power; it is the fuel which fires the imagination; which lights the torch of inspiration; which gives vitality to thought; which enables you to connect with all the invisible forces of the Universe. It is this power which will enable you to plan fearlessly and to execute masterfully.

9. But perception will come only in the Silence; this seems to be the condition required for all great purposes. You are a visualizing entity. Imagination is your workshop. It is here that your ideal is to be visualized.

10. As a perfect understanding of the nature of this power is a primary condition for its manifestation, visualize the entire method over and over again, so that you may use it whenever occasion requires. The infinity of wisdom is to follow the method whereby we may have the inspiration of the omnipotent Universal Mind on demand at any time.

In point #8, we see something that I want to aver again and again and I want you to fully understand it.

The Master Key is you.

We are not to look for something outside of ourselves to come to our aid. We’re not to await for some cosmic “White Knight” to rescue us from our travails. As we study this “mind stuff,” we are not studying something outside ourselves.

Much like Homer Simpson said about beer, we are the cause of and solution to all of our problems.

I wrote an article many moons ago that I think puts this into perspective perfectly.

There is one point about The Master Key System that most people fail to grasp. That point is this:

When Haanel talks about a “master key,” he is not talking about something outside of you, something separate from you. He is talking about YOU.

The Master Key is YOU.

You have the power. You have the ability. You have the will.

It is your duty to use it.

You are the only one who can open the doors put before you.

Be proud, be fearless, and be bold–and take advantage of that.

Is that making sense to you?

Maybe a better way to phrase things is to say that “God helps those who help themselves.”

The point is that from wherever our power comes, it is up to us to use it. It is our choice. It is our actions.

It comes from us.

So, how do we become inspired? How do we get ideas?

14. To become inspired means to get out of the beaten path, out of the rut, because extraordinary results require extraordinary means. When we come into a recognition of the Unity of all things and that the source of all power is within, we tap the source of inspiration.

We see things differently.

We take the road less travelled.

We explore new territory and we do so fearlessly, boldly, and audaciously.

We do that because we have the power. It is within.

15. Inspiration is the art of imbibing; the art of self-realization; the art of adjusting the individual mind to that of the Universal Mind; the art of attaching the proper mechanism to the source of all power; the art of differentiating the formless into form; the art of becoming a channel for the flow of Infinite Wisdom; the art of visualizing perfection; the art of realizing the omnipresence of Omnipotence.

One thing that Haanel wrote here that I think is most poignant is that Haanel calls inspiration the “art.”

It is an art!

It’s not a science. We can’t give you exact steps to follow. You can’t put it on a production line. You can’t list it like a recipe for cookies.

It’s an art. It’s meant to be played with — and every person will have a different experience with it, much like if you had a hundred people play the same piece of music you’ll have one hundred different interpretations of that music. If you have one hundred people listening to those pieces, you’ll also have one hundred different experiences and impressions with listening to the music.

As we practice the exercises in The Master Key System and as we build our ability to think and concentrate, we’ll become inspired — and it will be in our own way.

It will be ours.

As Haanel wrote in point #18.

18. Inspiration is from within. The Silence is necessary, the senses must be stilled, the muscles relaxed, repose cultivated. When you have thus come into possession of a sense of poise and power you will be ready to receive the information or inspiration or wisdom which may be necessary for the development of your purpose.

“Inspiration is from within.” We will find within ourselves as we study, experience, and concentrate what we need to accomplish what we set ourselves to do.

The Exercise for Week 20

31. For your exercise this week, go into the Silence and concentrate on the fact that “In Him we live and move and have our being” is literally and scientifically exact! That you ARE because He IS, that if He is Omnipresent He must be in you. That if He is all in all you must be in Him! That He is Spirit and you are made in “His image and likeness” and that the only difference between His spirit and your spirit is one of degree, that a part must be the same in kind and quality as the whole. When you can realize this clearly you will have found the secret of the creative power of thought, you will have found the origin of both good and evil, you will have found the secret of the wonderful power of concentration, you will have found the key to the solution of every problem whether physical, financial, or environmental.

“In Him we live and move and have our being” is a quote from the Bible — Acts 17:28.

Once again, whether your faith is aligned with Haanel’s or not, it doesn’t matter.

The point is that we are a part of something larger — the whole.

Within that whole we live and move and breath.

Within it we also have the same opportunity to use what we have as every other being or thing on the planet.

Think about that for a few moments. Understand that the only thing separating you from what you want to be is you — your thoughts.

Understand that you are a part of a world — a universe! — and that you can take advantage of every opportunity around you — or not.